Snape and Lupin's Character Arcs (was: Lupin's Char Arc)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 119255


boyd wrote (re Snape):
> 
> By mentor I mean senior partner. Not confidante. Not buddy. Not
father. Trainer? Yes. Imparter of knowledge? Yes. Protector? That, too. 
> If you want someone to give warm fuzzies to Harry, I'd look for
> Ginny/Luna/Hermione/Ron/Tonks. Any of them would be better emotional
> supporters, although he hasn't sought much of that yet....
> 
> And given that list of possible emotional supporters, who needs
Lupin anymore? Just seeing him become less distant isn't enough of a
payoff to keep him around, <snip> Basically, that crew all clearly has
developing left to do, whereas I fear Remus to be a character completed.

Carol notes:
I'm enjoying this thread and essentially agree with Boyd about the
eventual need for an alliance between Snape and Harry, which will most
likely occur in Book 7 rather than Book 6.

That doesn't eliminate the possibility of Lupin as a sort of interim
mentor, however. I can't think of anyone else who can fill Harry in on
the backstory of MWPP. Snape isn't going to do it, at least not in a
way Harry can appreciate.

I agree that Lupin may well be another casualty, but I think his loss
will be more significant if he performs the role of mentor first:
another father figure that Harry gains and loses. (All the more reason
to turn to Snape, whom he thinks he won't grieve for if he loses him??)

At any rate, FWIW, we have Trelawney's prediction from the Christmas
luncheon in PoA: "I have seen that poor Professor Lupin will not be
with us for very long. He seems aware himself that his time is short.
. . ." (Am. ed. 229).

Dumbledore responds that he doubts Lupin is in any *immediate*
danger--which of course does not preclude mortal peril or worse in
Book 6 or 7.

Carol, noting in surprise that Snape is not the only character who
addresses Dumbledore as "Headmaster": Trelawney does it, too (PoA Am.
ed. 228)